Boleslaw Wlecialowski born(ur.) 6-Nov-1892 – died(zm.) 8-Mar-1961

Stanczyk is killing time until April 2nd and research can begin in earnest on the 1940 US Census.

Wlecialowski, Boleslaw

One of my focus points will be Boleslaw Wlecialowski, my first cousin, twice removed. I have had problems locating him in the US Censuses. So I am hoping 1940 will be different.

Boleslaw, like many Polish-Americans, “Americanized” his name. So Boleslaw became Bill — very alliterative. Of course, if your name is Bill, then your formal name must be William. So we find records for Boleslaw under Boleslaw, Bill or William.

Here is a brief summary of Boleslaw Wlecialowski ‘s life as I can document it:

Father:

Maciej Wlecialowski (1868 – after 1918)

Mother:

Katarzyna Elijasz (1863 – after 1918)

Individual Facts

Birth

6 Nov 1892

Kwasów, Swietokrzyskie, Poland

Arrival

6 Jul 1910 (age 17)

Going to uncle Jan Elijasz in 7829 Burke Ave, Cleveland, OH [same addr in August 29th]; New York, New York (on SS Vaderland)

Arrival

29 Aug 1910 (age 17)

from father Maciej Wlecialowski in Pacanow, Stopnica, Kielce, Poland to uncle Jan Elijasz, 7829 B; New York, New York

Boleslaw Wlecialowski was born (ur.) November 6th, 1892 (Gregorian date) in the Russian-Poland partition village of Kwasow in the parish of Pacanow, Poland (gubernia of Kielce). His parents were Maciej Wlecialowski & Katarzyna Elijasz (my great, grand-aunt) — hence Boleslaw is my first cousin, twice removed. I have Boleslaw’s church record (#171 of Pacanow parish 1892 Births) written in Russian (Godparents: Jozef Slawamowski & Marrianna Elijasz).

He arrived at Ellis Island on July 6th, 1910 on the SS Vaderland. He was coming from his father, Maciej Wlecialowski in Pacanow, Stopnica, Kielce, Poland and his destination was his uncle, Jan Elijasz in 7829 Burke Ave, Cleveland, OH [hence, Stanczyk’s interest in the Cuyahoga County/Cleveland OH Elijasz families].

He made his way to Detroit, MI where his older sister Rosalia Wlecialowski Gawlikowski lived. He was living at 449 Grady Ave, Detroit, MI, when his brother Leon arrived at Ellis Island on the SS Pretoria arrival on 22 Dec 1913.

It appears that Boleslaw/William lived on Playfair Ave in Hamtramck, MI and was a boarder next door to Leon. William then registered for the World War I Draft, while still living on Playfair. Being an heroic Polish-American, he volunteers for Haller’s Army (The Polish Army in France) on 18-Feb-1918 while living as a single man in Hamtramck (at 82 Emons ? with his sister Rozalia Gawlikowski) and his nearest family in Europe are his parents [still alive in 1918]. The next thing we know about Boleslaw is returning from War, departing from Danzig port and arriving in Ellis Island on the SS Princess Matojka on 21-July-1920, via a ticket paid for by the US government along with a whole host of men. Why 1920 and not 1918? Obviously, Haller’s Army was instrumental in the Polish-Russian War that occurred just after the end of WWI when borders needed to be re-established after 146 years of occupation. On December 31st, 1924, Boleslaw Declares his Intention to become a US Citizen (living at 3121 Nevada) and is granted US Citizenship according to his Naturalization Petition on January 14th, 1929. At that time, one of his Witnesses was Edmund Tyszka, a real estate banker, whose property Boleslaw lives at (3121 Nevada, Detroit, MI) and undoubtedly works for as a realtor.

In 1943, Boleslaw, as an uncle, was a witness for my father’s delayed birth certificate (born in 1926). This was a matter to determine my father’s eligibility for WWII service. I love the picture, I chose for Boleslaw with the straw hat and pipe at Ciotka Rosie’s farm (with a very tall birdhouse in the background). His warm smile which I see in the only two pictures I have him, lead me to believe in his friendly nature. The earlier picture is from the early 1940’s (when he witnesses for my father) and the other whose vignette I chose to use today was from the late 1950’s to maybe 1960.

William Wlecialowski dies 8-Mar-1961 and is buried in Detroit’s Mt. Olivet cemetery with his brother Leon and his sister Rozalia Gawlikowski’s family. William never married and had no children.

Censuses

In 1910 he missed the census due to his late arrival in the year. By 1920, Boleslaw misses the census while away at war. But why was he missing in 1930 (was he in Europe for a funeral)? I am hoping for a first successful census find of Boleslaw on April 2nd (the 1940 US Census) and I am hoping to find his address too.